First psychotic episode: nursing approach from an adolescent unit

Abstract

The first psychotic episode (FPE) usually appears between the ages of 15 and 30, with scarce epidemiological data in the child and youth population. We present the case of a 17-year-old man, with a history of leukaemia and secondary diabetes, admitted to an adolescent unit for disorganized behaviour, cenesthetic and auditory hallucinations of mystical-religious content and delusional ideation, with the subsequent predominance of negative symptoms, refusal of treatment and of intake that required intramuscular medication and nasogastric intubation. The nursing assessment was carried out according to Marjory Gordon’s functional health patterns and a care plan was developed with the NANDA, NOC and NIC taxonomies, addressing the management of delirium and hallucinations, anxiety, fear, identity disturbance, impaired communication and social interaction, ineffective denial and spiritual suffering. After pharmacological stabilization and inclusion in an adolescent psychosis intervention programme, discharge was carried out with follow-up at the mental health centre.